ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Eutony, Holistic Gymnastics, and Pilates on hamstring flexibility and back pain in pre-adolescent girls. METHODS: This randomized prospective quantitative clinical trial compared the effects of Eutony, Holistic Gymnastics, and Pilates on hamstring flexibility and back pain. The sample consisted of 80 pre-adolescent girls aged 10-13 years and divided into three groups: Eutony, with 26 girls; Holistic Gymnastics, 27 girls; and Pilates, 27 girls. The participants underwent ten 1-h weekly interventions. Hamstring flexibility was evaluated using fingertip-to-floor, sit-and-reach, and hip angle tests; back pain was evaluated using the Body Posture Evaluation Instrument questionnaire and the way they carried their backpack by the Layout for Assessing Dynamic Posture. Descriptive statistical analysis, analysis of variance, and Kruskal-Wallis test were performed at a 5 % significance level (p < 0.05). RESULTS: The three body practices increased hamstring flexibility in all fingertip-to-floor (7.77 cm), hip angle (5.58°), and sit-and-reach evaluations (9.07 cm). Before the intervention, 66.25 % of participants complained of back pain. After the intervention, only 37.50 % continued with the complaint. Moreover, 25 % of pre-adolescent girls started to carry their school backpack correctly. CONCLUSION: Eutony, Holistic Gymnastics, and Pilates increased hamstring flexibility, reduced back pain complaints, and incentivized the girls to carry the school backpack correctly. REGISTRY OF CLINICAL TRIALS: Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials ReBEC (RBR-25w6kk).
Subject(s)
Exercise Movement Techniques , Gymnastics , Hamstring Muscles , Range of Motion, Articular , Humans , Female , Child , Gymnastics/physiology , Hamstring Muscles/physiology , Adolescent , Range of Motion, Articular/physiology , Exercise Movement Techniques/methods , Prospective Studies , Back Pain/therapy , Back Pain/rehabilitationABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Postural changes frequently occur in pre-adolescent girls, with sedentary lifestyle with reduced physical activity level as one of the risk factors. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Eutonia, Holistic Gymnastics, and Pilates on body posture in pre-adolescent girls. METHODS: A randomized prospective quantitative clinical trial was conducted. The study included girls aged 10-13 years and compared the effects of Eutonia, Holistic Gymnastics, and Pilates on body posture. The sample comprised 80 girls divided into three intervention groups as follows: Eutonia group, 26 girls; Holistic Gymnastics group, 27 girls; and Pilates group, 27 girls. Ten sessions of 1 h each were conducted on a weekly basis. Static posture was analyzed using the Postural Analysis Software SAPO; dynamic posture, using the modified Layout for Assessing Dynamic Posture LADy; and lifestyle, using the Body Posture Evaluation Instrument Back PEI questionnaire. The data were statistically analyzed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) by Kruskal-Wallis' averages test at 5% significance level (p < 0,05). RESULTS: The results showed that the three body movement practices improved the head inclination in the frontal plane (1,49°) and pelvic anteversion in the right (1,9°) and left profiles (2,09°). In addition, 25% of pre-teens started to carry their school bag correctly, improving their posture. CONCLUSION: The body movement practices of Eutonia, Holistic Gymnastics, and Pilates improved head inclination, pelvic anteversion, and the correctness rate of carrying the schoolbag.